Somers Gives Hometown Welcome To Doris Smith After Being Inducted Into Senator Ball's Women of Distinction Hall of Fame

Somers, N.Y. – (10/16/2013) – The Somers Town Board recognized and honored Doris Jane Smith at their town board meeting after Ms. Smith was inducted into Senator Greg Ball’s, (R,C,I-Patterson), Women of Distinction Hall of Fame in September.

Created and hosted by Senator Ball, The Women Of Distinction Hall of Fame was designed to honor outstanding women from throughout the 40th Senate District. In March, Senator Ball asked every town, village and city in his district to submit a nomination. On September 8th Ms. Smith, along with twenty-one other extraordinary women, was inducted into the hall of fame at the Putnam County Emergency Services Center Building in Carmel, NY.

“The Women of Distinction Ceremony was a project I launched in recognition of Women’s History Month and inspired by the accomplished and outstanding women I have had the privilege of collaborating with through my current tenure serving the people of the 40th Senate District,” said Senator Greg Ball. “It was an honor to accept Ms. Smith into the hall of fame to recognize all the wonderful work she has done for the Town of Somers, including enriching the lives of our youth at Primrose School.”

“On behalf of myself and the Town of Somers I’d like to share with you the pride we all feel that Doris Jane Smith has been selected as Senator Ball’s Woman of Distinction. You’d never know it by her humility but Doris Jane Smith has touched the lives of most of the youth in Somers as they pass through Primrose, Town Camp or other programs,” said Somers Town Supervisor Mary Beth Murphy. “We are grateful for her commitment to keeping the history of Somers alive and vibrant for all.”

Doris Jane Smith graduated from Manhattanville College with a Masters in Arts and Teaching. Ms. Smith has lived in the Town of Somers for 47 years, working for the Somers Central School District for 20 years and the Town of Somers Parks and Recreation for 23 years. Ms. Smith has been a member of the Somers Historical Society for almost half a century, where she served as the Co-chair for the Town’s Bicentennial Committees, Chair of the Museum and Reis House Committees and Co-chair of the Education Committee. Ms. Smith is the Town Historian and an art teacher at Somers Primrose School and since 1990 has been an American Girl Coordinator, where the curriculum was centered on the American Girl Doll and their importance to American History.

Ms. Smith has also been included on a ‘Traveling Wall of Fame’ that will be on display throughout Senator Greg Ball’s district. The wall is currently on display at the Patterson Library.